New City Striker? Definitely Maybe

Halfway through January, the promising Mexican Nery 'El Diablo' Castillo and Iraqi unknown quantity Nashat Akram are the only additions to The MCFC Sven Revolution.

Castillo has certainly put in plenty of effort following his arrival, but an out and out striker, he clearly is not. It's fingers crossed that the shoulder injury he sustained last night proves to be not as serious as first thought. Svennis needs all options available.

Our third encounter of the season with West Ham and our umpteenth narrow scoreline have once again highlighted the glaring need for a striker who knows where the onion bag is.

French daily 'Le Parisen' reports this morning that Bayern Munich's exciting Lukas Podolski 'is in contact with Manchester City.'

Bayern's President Karl-Heinz Rummenigge publicly acknowledged City's interest but declared that the German International will remain at the club.

The other striker who has yet again been media touted for a move to City is Newcastle's Michael Owen. It transpires that the injury ravaged yet capable goalscorer does not get on with the newly re-installed Barcode messiah Mad Kev. So much so, that he went into print about it, referring in his book to less than enjoyable times under Keegan with Ingurland. He felt he was singled out by KK as a scapegoat, no less.

If City fail to recruit up front this fortnight, then our European challenge is going to look pretty tame strikerwise as Vassell and Bianchi cannot be relied upon to fire the bullets usually provided by Petrov.

Mpenza has drifted hopelessly out of contention having succumbed again to the many injuries that have blighted his career and the brilliance of Sturridge and the power of Bojinov are not going to be seen realistically until the spring. Outside of Evans and Miller out on loan, the rest of the strikers on our books just don't bear thinking about.

Of course, the team could also use more balance. If West Ham, going into Episode 4 of this season's City-Hammers saga have not yet worked out how to cut off Petrov's supply line then it's time to give over. We need to create more from the right, and Svennis will certainly be well aware of it.

He'll know there is a need for some reinvention in this City team if we are to remain contenders. Whether he and Frank can bring in the quality of Samir Nasri from Marseille during what is very often a difficult January transfer window big name signings-wise is another story.

Who get's your vote for the January sales?